Thread: Weiss Lake Catch & Release Campaign

Are you sure this is the best way to go? Myself and other locals will probably cooperate but people who come down from other states are looking to fill freezers and thats the elephant in the room. Fishing pressure is a problem but we in cherokee county want our buisnesses to prosper so we like the tourism. My suggestion is lower the possession limit. Tennessee and Mississippi have done this.

I am all for Catch and Release 52 weeks a year. Keep some for the freezer but only what you can eat or need. I am all for a size limit of 12 inches or possibly a slot limit to release any fish between 10-14 inches. In just a couple of years there would be a difference in the "Quality" everyone wants and enjoys catching. In 5 years Weiss Lake would once again live up to what it was years ago. I used to hear good things about Weiss and always wanted to go. Now that I am able, I feel like it would be a waste of time to go there for much smaller fish when other lakes within 200 miles of me has much better quality...Just my

I also practice catch and release a lot and not just in the spring, I do it all year long. I do keep some fish to eat at times because they are sooooo good. I also give a few fish away to some elderly folks who are not able to catch them for themselves. I have posted this for some of the folks around Weiss Lake who are trying to help get things back the way they used to be up there. Everyone has their own thoughts on this and will do what they want to. I have my own opinion of this but will keep it to myself because I have friends on both sides of the issue. Feel free to post your comments about this but keep it clean and civil please.

That's a great program. Any little bit helps.

I thought it was getting better up there. last year I seen lots of good reports I don't understand .

I wonder if forty years ago folks were saying the same things we are now. Any big lakes out there that use to be full of crappie and have none now (don't know just wondering). Reminds me of the move "Blood Diamonds", as he's sitting on a hill dying his girlfriend says the world is falling apart and he replies "when hasn't the world been falling apart".

40 years ago you could barely carry the fish out the stringers would be so heavy. We use to wade fish and you could not walk in the water for tripping over stumps, that is not the case now not as much structure now as then. That has hurt the lake as much as anything. back then nobody though about catch and release. fish were to numerous. Also did not have all the pressure on the lake that you have now. We all have a opinion as to what it will take to solve this problem, I know that the biologist have been on the water a lot this fall and winter, I know some guides that they have been going out with them, give them a chance to come up with a solution to the problems concerning this lake and abide with what they suggest. With there help maybe we can get the lake back. Just my 2 cents.

Anglers Unlimited has bee putting structure in the lake for many years and I am sure this has helped some. I will take a combination of things to fix the problem.